Charles J. Guiteau
1841 – 1882

Charles J. Guiteau

American assassin (1841–1882)

poetlawyer
Born
1841-09-08, Freeport
Died
1882-06-30
Birthplace state
Illinois

Biography

Charles Julius Guiteau was an American office seeker who assassinated the 20th President of the United States, James A. Garfield in 1881. A failed lawyer suffering from mental illness, Guiteau delusionally believed he had played a major role in Garfield's election victory, for which he should have been rewarded with a consulship. Guiteau felt frustrated and offended by the Garfield administration's rejections of his applications to serve in Vienna or Paris to such a degree that he shot Garfield in Washington, D.C., on July 2, 1881. Garfield died on September 19 from infections related to the wounds. Caught immediately after shooting Garfield, Guiteau was tried, convicted, and publicly executed by hanging on June 30, 1882.

Occupation

Charles J. Guiteau is recorded as a poet and a lawyer, born in Illinois (1841–1882).

Connections to Illinois

Charles J. Guiteau was born in Freeport, Illinois in 1841. Explore other notable figures from Illinois, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Frequently asked about Charles J. Guiteau

Who was Charles J. Guiteau?
Charles J. Guiteau was American assassin (1841–1882), born in Illinois (1841 – 1882).
When and where was Charles J. Guiteau born?
Charles J. Guiteau was born on 1841-09-08 in Freeport.
When did Charles J. Guiteau die?
Charles died on 1882-06-30.
What was Charles J. Guiteau known for?
Charles J. Guiteau is recorded as a poet and a lawyer.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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